Opinion: Trump pitted working-class whites against working-class minorities to win

To the editor: George Skelton makes some good points on why President Trump won. However, he ignores one major reason: Trump pitted white working-class voters against minority working-class voters. (Trump’s inauguration is a reminder that rebelling against the ruling class is in America’s DNA,” Jan. 19)

It’s an old story in California, to which anyone who has lived through the last couple of decades can attest. Our state’s history is rife with examples of politicians who have benefited from setting the poor of many races against one another.

The difference, of course, is that this time, the story went national.

Joan Walston, Santa Monica

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To the editor: Skelton does not understand what is going on.

A single software engineer can write a program that displaces thousands of workers. Whole categories of jobs are about to be wiped out, and we are not prepared to survive this oncoming tsunami.

The simple truth is that we no longer need the same number of labor hours to produce all the goods and services we need, and that is why a politician has no choice but to utter vague promises about bringing jobs back. However, the working class’ value going forward continues to be as consumers, and therein lies the answer.

L. Michael Haller, Agoura Hills

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To the editor: Skelton is absolutely correct that Hillary Clinton was a horrible, flawed candidate. But he neglects to point out that she likely would have defeated other Republicans.

A white college-educated male, I was sucked into the progressive morass for most of my adult life. The 9/11 attacks put me on a new path.

I think it’s highly unlikely that Trump will be able to deliver on most of his campaign promises, but it doesn’t matter. The horror of Clinton packing the Supreme Court makes it worthwhile to endure a probable one-term Trump presidency; besides, he might stumble on something positive.

As a gambling man, I’m willing to roll the dice.

David Pohlod, Oak Park

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